Snapshots
by jedimasterginger33
Summary: A mysterious book and a date. Thiefshipping.
1. Chapter 1

Snapshots: Chapter 1—Intro

The pale sun cast its rays into the little apartment on a hazy summer afternoon. It wasn't cloudy, but the air was so thick and humid it might as well have been.

Bakura sat down on the faded old couch. It had been there when they had bought the apartment, and it had only gotten cozier as the years had passed. A smile danced across his pale face as he brought a teacup to his lips, enjoying the memories of their life here far more than the warm taste of his favorite drink.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back over the back of the couch, letting the sun warm his face through the skylight. It was the reason they had spent the extra money to buy the apartment on the top floor. Marik, having had terrible experiences growing up in a tomb, loved the sunshine. They had even put two new windows in their bedroom for this reason, even though it was over their budget. Bakura had complained about spending the money, but he couldn't truly stay mad about it; it had made the boy so happy.

He breathed deeply, smiling as he remembered the joy on the boy's face when he had finally agreed to put the windows in. It was as if Marik hadn't known it was only a matter of time before Bakura caved, not being able to deny him such a simple pleasure. _Besides_, he had thought to himself at the time, _perhaps a little sun will help me get my tan back_. It hadn't, and Ryou's body was still as pale as ever, but putting the windows in had still been a good decision.

"Don't doze off, sleepyhead," came a soft voice from above him. Soft, blonde hair tickled his nose as his lover planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "You'll be late."

Bakura opened his eyes, returning his partner's playful gaze, then tilting his chin up so their lips met in a gentle kiss before asking, "Late for what?"

Marik smirked, standing up straight and walking around to the front of the couch, Bakura lifting his head to watch him. "Dinner," he said cheerfully. He was wearing a lavender dress shirt and tie as well as dress pants that had been neatly ironed and the fancy shoes Bakura had gotten him for his last birthday. Bakura raised an eyebrow, suspicious. He and Marik rarely went out for dinner, and when they did, they never went to a place you would dress up to go to. What was the occasion? He hadn't forgotten their anniversary, had he? When did they start dating? Bakura racked his brain, trying not to make an idiot out of himself. Marik smirked at the expression on his partner's face and added, "Don't worry, you haven't forgotten anything."

Bakura chuckled in a failed attempt to pretend that he hadn't worried about forgetting something important and asked, "So what's the occasion?"

Marik smiled mischievously, a sly twinkle in his eye. "What, does there have to be an occasion for me to want to have a nice dinner with my man?" he asked innocently, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Yes. Did you break the dishwasher again?" Bakura asked, remembering the last time Marik had decided to take him out "for no reason." "I told you not to put so many dishes in at once…"

"I didn't break anything!" Marik replied. "Now go get ready or you'll be late!"

Bakura sighed and chuckled again, setting his tea down on the table and going to get up off the couch when his eyes fell on something he hadn't noticed before: a lavender, hard-cover book with gold trimming. Had it been there the whole time? "What's this?" he asked curiously, reaching for the book, but Marik was quicker, snatching it away and holding it above his head. They stared at each other for a while before Bakura smiled and lifted himself off the couch. "Really, Marik, you're not that much taller than me. I could get it if I wanted to." Marik stared at him, trying to figure out if he would try to take the book or not, but Bakura merely winked and turned, sauntering off towards the bedroom.

After getting dressed and ready, Bakura leaned against the door frame to the sitting room where Marik waited on the couch. The book was gone.

"Ready when you are," Bakura said. Marik jumped and turned, startled. Bakura was always so quiet, even in dress shoes, and Marik hadn't noticed him. Daydreaming hadn't helped.

Marik hopped off the couch, smiling broadly, and walked over to his lover, taking the pale hands in his own. "I have the nicest night planned," he said excitedly, but then a look of guilt passed over his face. "I'm sorry I'm acting so weird. I probably made you worry."

Bakura smiled and ran his fingers through the boy's hair, gently kissing his cheek before saying, "I didn't worry. You always act weird." Marik smiled and giggled, leaning in and kissing his lips softly before taking his hand again and leading him out of the apartment.

The restaurant Marik had taken them to was indeed fancy. _How could there not be some sort of occasion?_ Bakura wondered. _What reason could he possibly have for wanting to come here?_

They were seated by a grand fireplace where a fire crackled away despite the temperature outside. Bakura didn't mind; he was always cold anyway, and the fire's glow made Marik's eyes sparkle like polished amethyst and his tan skin glow like the setting sun. He blushed, staring at his partner and remembering just how much he loved him.

"What can I get for you tonight?" an overly-perky, bleach-blonde waitress asked in a ridiculously high-pitched voice.

"Eggplant parmesan, thanks," Marik said, handing her his menu.

"And for you?" she asked, turning to Bakura.

"What?" Bakura said, startled out of his daydream. Marik smiled.

"He'll have the filet mignon," Marik said, taking Bakura's menu and handing it to the waitress. Bakura blushed madly and stared down at the napkin in his lap. The waitress left without giving them a second thought.

Marik smiled at Bakura knowingly and proceeded to talk about things that they normally discussed as if they weren't in a fancy restaurant, as if Bakura hadn't been staring at him, as if he wasn't secretly planning anything special. He didn't even stop when their food came; he continued to talk as Bakura ate, just like any normal day. Bakura relaxed, smiling to himself. Maybe Marik really did just want to have a nice dinner.

Suddenly, Marik stopped talking and smiled mischievously at Bakura. Bakura blinked, blushing, and continued to chew the piece of steak that happened to be in his mouth. They stared at each other until Bakura swallowed and blinked at Marik again.

"You're scaring me, Marik."

"Just look at you, all civilized. You even know which utensils to use," Marik said proudly, picking up his own knife and fork and cutting into his eggplant.

Bakura looked down at his hands. Sure enough, he had been using his knife and fork to cut appropriately-sized pieces of steak before eating it. He closed his eyes and smiled, putting the silverware down on the table and lifting his napkin to the corner of his mouth.

"Did you have a good time?" Marik asked as Bakura unlocked the apartment door. Bakura turned and gave him a quick kiss in response before entering the apartment.

Bakura flicked on the lights as he loosened his tie, sighing as he unbuttoned his shirt. He did have a fantastic time, but the heat was exhausting. He had been used to the heat when he lived in ancient Egypt, but apparently Ryou didn't have any heat tolerance. He threw his tie onto the counter in the kitchen, slipped off his shoes and socks, and flopped down on the old couch in the sitting room. He breathed heavily, eyes closed, head resting on the back of the couch.

Soon, he felt Marik sit down next to him, kicking his feet up and snuggling close. Bakura put his arm around the Egyptian as he rested his head on the pale chest, breathing deeply. "It's ready," he said. Bakura opened one eye and looked down. Marik was smiling up at him, his eyes twinkling as he held out the lavender book. "I didn't want you to see it before because it wasn't done, but I finished it, so now you can look at it."

Bakura opened both eyes and lifted his head, taking the book with his free hand. "What is it?" he asked. Marik just snuggled in closer, and Bakura propped the book up on his knee as he opened to the first page.


	2. Chapter 2

I forgot to post this on the previous chapter, but I DO NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything related to it. I just like to write fluff about it for my own enjoyment (and hopefully the enjoyment of others).

So here's the new chapter; let me know what you think! Thanks go to my editor, Azaire! 3

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Snapshots: Chapter 2—Roommates

Bakura laughed. Not his usual chuckle or even his condescending laugh, but a real laugh from the heart—a laugh that almost made him sound like Ryou. He had never laughed like that before he moved in with Marik. He smiled as he looked at the familiar picture on the first page of the lavender book.

It was a picture he used to hate. Marik had taken it the first night Bakura moved in. His lips were slightly parted, his eyes closed in a peaceful sleep. The moonlight shined through the window, dancing across the thief's pale, bare chest. Marik giggled, and Bakura closed his eyes as he nuzzled his face in the soft, blonde hair, remembering the day he moved in.

_The rain pounded on the windows of the tiny apartment. Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder cracked so loud the windows shook. Marik sat huddled on the couch, a blanket draped around his tan shoulders and a cup of tea in his trembling hands. He hated thunderstorms._

_ Suddenly, there was a violent knocking at the door. Marik jumped, incredibly startled. Who would possibly be out in this weather? And who would be visiting him, anyway? The Egyptian groaned as he got up and walked towards the door, trying to control his shivering. His jaw dropped and the blanket slipped off his shoulders as he opened the door. "Bakura?"_

_ "Yes, it's me," Bakura said, agitated. His white hair was soaked and his clothes were completely drenched, giving him the look of a particularly angry kitten that had been left out in the rain._

_ "P-please come in!" Marik stammered, standing aside as Bakura entered the shabby little apartment, nearly tripping over the blanket. "Wh-what are you doing here?"_

_ The thief ignored the question, moving about the kitchen and making himself tea as though he owned the place. Marik didn't mind—he was just glad to see his old partner-in-crime—and ran to get a towel as Bakura settled shivering into a chair at the small kitchen table. Marik draped the towel around the thief's shoulders then retrieved the blanked and sat down at the table. "What are you doing here?" he repeated. _

_ Bakura peered at the curious, tan face over the rim of his teacup as he took a long sip. Finally, he lowered the cup and said matter-of-factly, "I need a place to crash for a bit," then added, "I couldn't think of anywhere else to go." As a small smile pulled at the corner of the Egyptian's lip, Bakura quickly said, "I mean, I had other places to go, I just wanted to stay with someone who wouldn't bother me!"_

_ "Aww, Bakura!" Marik cried, glomping him from across the table (a very awkward position indeed), "I missed you too!" _

_ "Gah! Get the bloody hell off me, Marik! And I never said I missed you!" Bakura yelled, nearly dropping his tea. "What did I just say about not bothering me?"_

**_ Click._**

_ Marik couldn't resist. The rain had stopped, the moon was shining brightly, but the Egyptian still couldn't sleep. He was so excited to see Bakura again. Besides, he had never seen Bakura like this: peaceful, innocent and… _attractive_. _

_ Marik sighed, leaving the doorway of the one little bedroom in the apartment. He set the camera down on the kitchen table before curling up on the couch, where he quickly fell asleep, dreaming happily._

_ Bakura stretched and yawned, blinking in the soft light of the morning sun. He sighed as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, sat up straight, and crinkled his toes on the worn carpet. Where was he again? Oh that's right—he was staying with Marik. It had been a while since he had slept in a bed (or with a roof over his head, for that matter). Marik's tiny little apartment wasn't much, but it was much more than what he had, and he appreciated it._

_ He got up and made his way to the kitchen, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. It was still early, and he doubted Marik was awake. Then he wondered where Marik had slept as it dawned on him that the apartment only had one bedroom, which Marik had let him use without hesitation. Bakura cast his almond-colored eyes over the apartment and found the boy still sleeping soundly on the couch._

_ Bakura smiled his eyes soft. Maybe he would make some coffee for him when he woke up. He moved about silently, a skill he had perfected in Ryou's slender body, as he prepared a strong pot of coffee so it would be ready when Marik woke up. He sighed. "Bloody hell," he chuckled softly, "I've gone soft."_

_ Then he prepared himself some tea and sat at the table when he finally noticed the camera. It hadn't been there when he went to bed, had it? Maybe he just hadn't noticed it. No, he definitely would have noticed; he may have gotten a bit soft, but he hadn't lost his touch as King of Thieves, and he certainly wasn't that unobservant. So how had it gotten there?_

_ He set his tea down and picked up the device. It took him a while to find the power button (he was never any good with technology), but when he finally managed to turn the camera on, he found, to his horror, a picture of himself sleeping._

_ "MARIK, YOU BUGGERING BASTARD!" he roared as he hurled the camera towards the sleeping boy. It bounced off Marik's shoulder as he jolted awake. He sat straight up, blinking his wide, amethyst eyes at Bakura before slouching and yawning. _

_ "What's wrong, 'Kura?" he asked sleepily, brushing his blonde hair out of his face with his tan fingers. "Did you just throw something at me?"_

_ "Why the bloody hell did you take a picture of me while I was sleeping?!" Bakura shouted angrily._

_ "You're so cute when you're angry," Marik giggled, winking._

_ "I'll show you cute!" Bakura shouted, pushing Marik roughly as he passed him, going to retrieve the camera and turning away from him to hide the fact that he was blushing madly. "How the bloody hell do I delete this?"_

_ "You'll still stay though, right?" Marik asked. Bakura glanced over his shoulder, seeing the concern on the tan face. He sighed and looked away, eyes closed and a hand on his hip, the other falling to his side with the camera still in it._

_ "There's a pot of coffee; go drink it before it gets cold," the thief grumbled. Marik smiled as he got up and walked to the kitchen, knowing that his partner-in-crime would be staying with him for a long time._

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So hopefully you enjoyed the new chapter. Let me know what you think! I'm open to requests for future chapters as well!


	3. Chapter 3

Once again,** I don't own YuGiOh** or anything related to it. I'm just writing fluff and hoping other people enjoy it.

If you're reading this, I'd like to thank you for reading through this much of my fanfic. I'm trying to make it have some sort of plot, but it's kind of just turning out to be fluff. Anyway, thanks again to Azaire for editing and hope you enjoy!

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Snapshots: Chapter 3—Raindrops

Bakura smiled as he gently turned the page with his pale fingers. Looking at the old photograph had reminded him how far they'd come in their relationship. He had gone from trying to deny his feelings and ignore Marik's flirting to loving the boy with all his heart, being willing to put his life on the line for him, and wanting to spend the rest of eternity with him.

The second picture showed Marik grinning from ear to ear under an umbrella held by a drenched and frowning Bakura. It was taken about a month after Bakura had shown up at the apartment. Marik chuckled. "Even then you looked after me, 'Kura."

_ Bakura pulled on his long, black coat and slipped an umbrella into his pocket. It was sunny, but he had a feeling it wouldn't stay that way for long. He grabbed his keys and reached for the doorknob, ready to leave, when the voice of his roommate stopped him in his tracks._

_ "Bakoooooora!" Marik called, "Where are you going?" Bakura turned and found his roommate leaning over the back of the couch, watching him curiously. He sighed._

_ "I'm going to the shops. I'll be back in a little while," the thief replied, turning to leave. _

_ "Ooh, that sounds fun!" Marik said, hopping off the couch and following Bakura as he left the little apartment. Bakura growled in response, but it didn't stop the Egyptian from going with him._

_ "Bakura, can we get these cookies?"_

_ "No."_

_ "How about that ice cream?"_

_ "No. We came here to get tea and that's it."_

_ "Fine, but can we stop for ice cream after this?"_

_ "No. This is the last stop. We're going home after this."_

_ "You're no fun, 'Kura," Marik whined. Bakura let out a sigh of frustration as he set the tea down on the check-out counter and crossed his arms._

_ "That'll be four-fifty," the cashier said. Marik smiled as Bakura pulled out his wallet and handed the money to the cashier. He shot a quick glance at the boy, and his eyes narrowed._

_ "What the bloody hell are you smiling at?" Bakura grumbled, snatching the bag from the cashier and making his way towards the exit. Marik only continued to smile as he followed his companion out of the store._

_ Bakura stood outside on the sidewalk, nose pointed upward, studying the clouds gathering in the sky._

_ "Is something wrong, 'Kura?" Marik asked. Bakura peered over at the Egyptian's curious face and shrugged, shaking his head a bit before beginning to walk in the direction of their home._

_ "It's nothing; let's just get home," he said as Marik caught up to him and walked by his side._

_ As they walked, a raindrop fell and hit Marik's tan cheek. Suddenly, it began to pour. Marik stopped and gasped in surprise and wrapped his arms around himself, wishing he had brought his coat._

_ All of a sudden, the rain stopped hitting him. Marik looked up to find Bakura standing in the rain, holding the umbrella he had brought over his partner. Marik blinked, shocked by this act of kindness._

_ "Well, don't just stand there like a bloody idiot, Marik," the pale man grumbled as he was drenched in rain. "Hurry up and move before I leave you here."_

_ Marik grinned and began walking with his companion, sneaking his camera out of his pocket and snapping a quick picture._

_ As they entered their apartment, Bakura shrugged off his coat and pulled off his drenched shirt, heading back towards the bathroom. Marik moved about the kitchen making tea._

_ Bakura closed the bathroom door. He quickly undressed, revealing the white skin he was self-conscious of and stepped into the shower. He turned the water to its hottest setting, washing away the cold rainwater. He let the steaming water caress his skin and run through his hair as he sighed. He hoped he wouldn't get sick. It would be his own fault since he let himself get soaked and cold. Why had he done that? He brought the umbrella for himself, and Marik should have been smart enough to bring his own. But he couldn't have just let Marik get soaked while keeping the umbrella all to himself. But why not? He had never cared for the wellbeing of others before he had met Marik, why should it be any different now? But that was his answer—it was different because it was Marik. He had grown soft, let himself grow fond of the boy. No, it was more than that; he felt more than fondness for the boy. He sighed as he turned the water off and shook the water out of his white hair as he stepped out of the shower. He quickly dried himself off and dressed himself halfway, too distracted to notice that he had left his shirt on the bathroom floor._

_ He sat down at the kitchen table as Marik poured two cups of tea and sat down next to him, passing his pale partner one of the cups. Bakura sighed and draped the towel around his bare shoulders before closing his eyes and taking a long sip of the warm drink._

_ Marik's tea sat forgotten on the table as he stared at Bakura, tracing the firm muscles of his chest and stomach with his eyes. The Millenium Ring dangled from his slender neck, hanging in front of Bakura's sculpted abdomen. He had been attracted to the pale thief since he crashed in the apartment a month ago, but he rarely got to see him without a shirt. Not only was he beautiful, but there was something about him that Marik loved—he just couldn't put his finger on it. Was it his personality? He seemed so harsh and cold on the outside, but the little things the thief did made his inner kindness shine through. The way he made him coffee in the mornings, did the shopping for him, slept on the couch so he could sleep in the only bed. Especially the way he had held the umbrella over him—Marik knew how much Bakura hated getting wet (it was one of the many ways he reminded him of a cat). Bakura was just so… _flawless.

_ "Marik," Bakura said, snapping Marik back from his daydream, "you've zoned out."_

_ "Oh," Marik said as he blushed and looked down, embarrassed._

_ "Or," Bakura purred softly, placing his pale fingers under Marik's chin and tilting his head up, looking into his amethyst eyes, "have you?"_

_ Marik blushed as he stared back into the brown eyes, not knowing what to say. Bakura leaned in, kissing his lips and placing a hand on his chest. Marik's heart pounded under Bakura's pale hand. He closed his eyes and kissed the thief back hard, letting out the feelings for Bakura he had kept bottled up. He placed one hand on the pale neck, the other caressing the waist and abdomen he had gotten lost in only moments ago. Bakura nipped playfully at his lower lip, his hands now under the lavender half-shirt, tracing the scars in his caramel skin on his slender, muscular back. _

_ Bakura pulled away and looked into Marik's eyes once again, placing a gentle hand on his tan wrist. "Do you want me?" he whispered. Marik nodded, breathing heavily. A small smile crept across the thief king's pale face as he slowly stood up, the towel slipping off his shoulders as he pulled Marik towards the bedroom… _


	4. Chapter 4

Once again, I don't own anything.

Sorry for the delay, hopefully you forgive me and continue reading. This one took a while due to writer's block and illness, but here it is, and hopefully it was worth the wait! Thanks to my editor Azaire, and thanks to all of you for reading!

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Snapshots: Chapter 4—Drinking Game

Bakura had never been happier to look at pictures of himself before in his life. He normally hated seeing his own pale face in photographs since he was so self-conscious, especially when he was next to the dazzlingly handsome Egyptian he now spent most of his time with. These pictures were different. They reminded him of the greatest times he had with Marik and made the growing feelings of affection and happiness resurface.

The picture on the next page made him laugh again. It showed Marik, half-naked and drunk off his ass, with his tan arm slung clumsily around Bakura's shoulders. Bakura wore his usual frown of annoyance, but his twinkling eyes showed another emotion—amusement? Perhaps it was even happiness. It didn't take more than a second for Bakura to remember what had happened the night the picture was taken.

_ Bakura sat with his legs crossed on the sofa in their new apartment. They had just moved there from Marik's tiny apartment and finally had just about everything unpacked. He had a small fire burning in their fireplace and a book propped open lazily in his hand. He didn't have any lights on; the light from the fire and the skylight above were enough for him to see the words carefully scrawled on the pages, and a pair of glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. He hadn't wanted the apartment on the top floor—he hated the light and had preferred Marik's dark little apartment—but Marik had his heart set on the penthouse, and Bakura just couldn't refuse. Marik was special to him. Even the damn skylight had begun to grow on him just because it reminded him of the boy. Plus, having it on clear autumn nights like this one wasn't so bad—the night sky reminded him of his childhood before tragedy overcame his life. _

_ "I'm home!" came the sing-songy voice of his partner as the door to the apartment opened. Bakura ignored his partner, still trying his hardest to hide his emotions for the Egyptian. Marik set a few bags he had brought on the counter of their kitchen and skipped over to where Bakura was sitting, leaning over and hugging him tightly from over the back of the couch. Bakura groaned irritably in response, but there was no hiding it from either of them that Bakura was happy to receive this kind of greeting from his partner. _

_ "What the bloody hell took you so long to get home?" Bakura grumbled, setting his book on the coffee table and tilting his head over the back of the couch to look at Marik. Marik giggled._

_ "Were you worried about me?" the boy teased. Bakura blushed and opened his mouth to respond, but Marik quickly added, "You look so good in glasses, 'Kura," and planted a playful kiss on his pale forehead before excitedly returning to the kitchen. Bakura blushed harder and blinked, a tad stunned and struggling all the more to conceal his feelings. After a few minutes, Marik called from the kitchen, "Well? Aren't you coming?" Bakura sighed and lifted himself off the couch, putting his hands in his pockets and sauntering casually into the kitchen._

_ "Ok, what is it?" Bakura asked. Marik opened one of the bags he had brought home and lifted out a bottle of rum, setting it on the counter with a soft _clink_. _

_ "I just thought it might be fun to play a little game," Marik replied with a playful twinkle in his amethyst eyes. Bakura smirked._

_ "Alright, Marik, what did you have in mind?"_

_ "Oh, well…" Marik stammered, becoming embarrassed, "I don't actually know any drinking games. I figured you might, though…" he trailed off. Bakura chuckled._

_ "Well, I wouldn't have time for such things, but I have an idea," Bakura said, a mischievous smirk appearing on his lips. Marik raised an eyebrow, curious._

_ "Oh? What do you have in mind?"_

_ "Do you still have your deck handy?"_

_ "Well, of course!" Marik replied as he pulled his Duel Monsters cards out of his pocket. Bakura smiled and pulled out his own deck grabbed the bottle and sat down at the table. Marik sat down across from him and stared at the pale man attentively. _

_ "Now, we're going to have a normal game of Duel Monsters," Bakura explained, shuffling his deck, "except whenever one of us loses life points, we take a drink." Marik nodded, shuffling his own deck._

_ Marik smiled as they cut each other's decks and passed them back to one another. 'This is going to be a fun night…'_

_ "That's game, Marik," Bakura said as his partner took another drink. They were on their third bottle of rum, and although they had drunk about the same amount, Bakura was still relatively sober as he was far better at holding his liquor, and Marik was completely wasted. Bakura was surprised he could even hold his cards._

_ "Hey, I have a good idea," Marik giggled drunkenly, "what if—_hic_—instead of taking a drink—_hic_—we played strip Duel Monsters? Huh?" Bakura stared at his partner with an expression of suspicion and bemusement as he tried to hide his excitement at playing this game. He chuckled._

_ "Alright, Marik, let's play strip Duel Monsters then."_

_ "That's game again, Marik," Bakura said, smirking as Marik giggled and undid the button of his pants._

_ "You're going to have to help me, 'Kura," Marik giggled as he stumbled to his feet. Bakura sighed as he got up and slung the Egyptian's arm over his shoulders, gripping his bare side as he supported the muscular boy._

_ "Hey," Marik laughed, leaning against his partner, "we should take a picture. I bet I look soooo pretty right now."_

_ "Marik…" Bakura growled warningly._

_ "Oh, come on, it'll be fun," Marik said as he pulled his camera out of his pocket and took a picture before Bakura could refuse. Bakura sighed._

_ Marik looked up as he set the camera down and stared into Bakura's eyes. Bakura blushed madly. 'Not those eyes…'_

_ "Hey, hey 'Kura," Marik said, giggling slightly._

_ "What do you want, Marik?" Bakura said, trying not to blush but failing._

_ "I bet you don't want me to take my pants off." Marik said drunkenly, gently poking the firm chest of his partner. Bakura raised an eyebrow, confused. "I bet you want to take them off yourself." Bakura closed his eyes and smiled, chuckling. "What do you say?"_

_ "I say you're absolutely right for once, Marik," Bakura purred mischievously, hitching his thumb on the waist of Marik's unbuttoned pants. Marik smiled, his eyes twinkling._

_ Bakura sat on the couch of the living room, reading his book once again, except this time the pale, morning light poured in through the skylight. His glasses rested on the end of his nose and his hair was tied up out of his face. He was really enjoying this morning. There was something special about it. Last night had been different for him as well. Perhaps it had been the alcohol, or more likely it was the fact that they had took a step forward in their relationship, made it stronger by buying an apartment they could call theirs. Regardless, he had finally admitted to himself that he, Bakura, king of all thieves, had fallen in love with the quirky and irritating Egyptian. _

_ "Oh, Ra, my head…" came a groan from the hallway. Bakura turned to see Marik stumble in from the hallway where the bedrooms were. He smiled, amused._

_ "Well, good morning, Marik," Bakura teased, "had a good night, didn't we?"_

_ "I think so…" Marik mumbled, rubbing his head. "What exactly happened?"_

_ "You got drunk off your ass and we had sex," Bakura replied casually. Marik nodded._

_ "Sounds like a fun night," he yawned, then winced. "Not such a fun morning, though," he groaned, stumbling into the kitchen to make himself some coffee._

_ As he fiddled with the coffee maker, Bakura's pale hands reached around his waist and took the coffee from him, preparing it faster than Marik could keep track of what he was doing. After he was done, Bakura hugged the Egyptian gently and kissed his tan neck before returning to the couch to read his book. Marik stared after him, dazed not only from his hangover, but also from this surprising act of kindness coupled with the rare gentleness the pale man had shown. Was this… compassion? From the king of thieves? No, it couldn't be. Could it?_

_ Marik slowly poured himself a cup of coffee and made his way to the couch where his partner was sitting. He sat down slowly next to him and sighed, sipping slowly at the strong coffee Bakura had made for him. Bakura smiled and looked over at the boy, studying him from over the rim of his glasses with a gentle look in his eyes. Marik looked up from his slouched position on the couch, being shorter than his partner for once. He blinked, a bit confused at this behavior from his partner. Then Bakura leaned over and kissed his forehead, pressed his own forehead gently against Marik's, and whispered, "Marik, I love you."_

_ Marik blinked, shocked. Was he hallucinating? Had Bakura put something in that rum last night? No, he couldn't have. Marik smiled happily._

_ "I love you too, 'Kura," he replied, kissed his lips and rested his head on Bakura's shoulder. "I love you too."_


	5. Chapter 5

Hey there! Umm, yeah, sorry this one took so long. I'm running out of ideas for this fic, so I think its end may soon be here (this isn't the last one though. I have a plan!). Anyway, I wanted to put this out today because it's Ryou's birthday, so I guess it's a birthday present to all of us for him or something like that. I tried to make up for the long wait by making this one extra fluffy, so hopefully it was worth the wait! Thank you all so much for reading, and thanks again to Azaire for helping out! 3

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"Marik?" Bakura asked, a curious smirk on his face. His partner glanced up at him, his amethyst eyes sparkling as he pressed his tan cheek against Bakura's pale chest. "What exactly am I looking through right now?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Marik asked in mock disappointment before giggling and snuggling closer to Bakura, turning back to the book. "Guess."

Bakura chuckled. "Well, if I must, I'd say it's all the times you decided to be obnoxious and take a picture of me against my will."

Instead of responding, Marik reached over and turned the page.

"Ah, Bakura said, laughing softly, "I guess not."

The next picture was a terribly blurry picture of Marik in a pair of lavender boardshorts, his tattooed back facing the camera as he ran towards the ocean. Bakura laughed as he closed his eyes and threw his head back.

"I knew trying to use a bloody camera would come back to haunt me," he muttered, a smirk that showed both amusement and embarrassment on his pale lips, which Marik didn't hesitate to kiss.

"You were always bad with technology, 'Kura," the Egyptian said softly, staring into Bakura's brown eyes.

"Not all of us learn as quickly as you, Marik," Bakura chuckled, remembering the first vacation either of them had taken and feeling grateful that they had taken it together.

_ "Damn it," Bakura grumbled as half the cream he was pouring splashed on the countertop. He set down the mixing bowl and held the whisk in his mouth as he grabbed a rag and wiped up the mess. He heard footsteps as he threw the rag in the sink, but knowing it was his partner, he didn't turn around and simply began pouring the cream more carefully this time._

_ "Hey, 'Kura!" Marik called from the doorway, "What do you think?"_

_ "What do I think of wha—" Bakura started, but he found his answer as he turned to see his lover. Marik was wearing nothing but a pair of lavender boardshorts, leaving his beautifully tanned and muscular upper body bare. Bakura blushed and raised an eyebrow. "Marik… why are you wearing a bathing suit?" _

_ "You're not complaining, are you?" Marik said, winking, but then a more serious expression crossed his face, and he said, "'Kura? You're pouring cream on the floor."_

_ Bakura blinked, startled, and looked at his hand to find that he was indeed pouring cream on the floor. "Damn it!" he yelled, setting the cream down quickly and lunging for the rag in the sink. "You never answered my question," Bakura snapped as he kneeled to clean up the mess he had made, "why are you wearing that?"_

_ Marik smiled excitedly as Bakura stood up and wrung the rag over the sink with an eyebrow still raised inquisitively. "Because, silly, we're going to the beach!"_

_ "What the bloody hell are you talking about, Marik?" Bakura asked, finally finishing pouring the cream and whisking the mixture in the bowl. "Why do you want to go to the beach?"_

_ "The sand, the sun—"_

_ "Marik, we lived in bloody Egypt, haven't you had enough of—"_

_ "—the ocean!" Marik continued, ignoring his partner's interjection. Bakura sighed. "Come on, 'Kura, it'll be fun!" He then leaned in close to his boyfriend, swished his finger through the whipped cream, and licked it slowly with a seductive smile on his face. "You'll get to see me wear this every day," he whispered._

_ Bakura blushed hard, nearly dropping the bowl. "When do we leave?"_

_ "What's wrong, 'Kura?" Marik asked. "Still carsick?"_

_ "I don't like elevators," Bakura grumbled. "Couldn't we have taken the stairs?"_

_ "No! We would never be able to get all the suitcases up!"_

_ "Maybe if you hadn't packed so bloody much…"_

_ The elevator chimed, and they stepped out into the hallway as the door opened. Bakura slung one of Marik's heavier bags over his shoulder as they made their way to their room. Marik smiled to himself. 'He's come such a long way, he thought. He never would have agreed to come here with me when he moved in, and now he carries my bag. I never thought we would have this relationship, but we do. I never thought he would fall in love with me as much as I had fallen in love with him. And now…'_

_ "Marik," Bakura said, startling him out of his daze, "are you alright?" Marik smiled._

_ "This is the first vacation we've taken together," Marik said. Bakura smiled, then leaned in and kissed the Egyptian's tan cheek._

_ "I love you," Bakura whispered in his ear before gently kissing his earlobe and pulling away to unlock the door of their room._

_ The inside was beautiful. A kitchen with a bar stood off to the left, and two large bedrooms and a bath stood to the right. Further in, a lounge area sat against the back wall, and a doorway to a private balcony with a hot tub stood across from the lounge._

_ "Ooh, look!" Marik exclaimed, dashing over to the balcony and throwing the doors open. The balcony looked over the ocean, and the view stretched out to the horizon. Marik laughed with joy and awe as he looked out, the salty sea air tickling his nose and rustling his hair gently. He felt his partner's strong hands slip gently around his waist, pulling him close as the pale man rested his chin on his shoulder. Marik tilted his head to nestle his cheek into the soft, white hair. "I love you, too."_

_ "'Kura!" Marik called through the bathroom door, "What's taking so long?"_

_ "I need to put on bloody sunscreen, Marik!" Bakura snapped. "Ryou's skin burns within five minutes."_

_ Marik leaned against the wall by the bathroom door. His lavender boardshorts were on, his sunglasses were nestled in his sandy blond hair, and his camera was dangling from his wrist. He waited patiently for his pale partner to finish applying his sunscreen—after all, they wouldn't be able to use the hot tub tonight if Bakura was sunburned._

_ A few minutes later, Bakura emerged from the bathroom in a pair of black and blue swim jammers, his sunglasses clutched loosely in his hand. Marik smiled. "Ready?"_

_ "Just let me grab a book," Bakura replied, walking into the bedroom and selecting a Stephen King novel from his suitcase. He turned to see Marik with his hands on his hips and his head cocked curiously. _

_ "Why do you need a book to go to the beach?"_

_ "To read," Bakura smiled, gently whacking the boy's head with the book as he walked past. He slung a beach bag over his shoulder and turned back as he reached for the doorknob. "Aren't you coming?" he asked teasingly. Marik smiled and ran after his partner as they headed towards the elevator._

_ "Oh, 'Kura!" Marik exclaimed as they stepped out of the hotel and onto the beach. His amethyst eyes sparkled as they took in the beauty of the bright sun, glittering sand, and brilliantly blue ocean as the waves crashed against the shore. Marik laughed joyfully as he ran across the hot sand towards the ocean, Bakura smiling as he slowly made his way after his partner. As Marik stood at the edge of the water, tiny waves lapping at his toes, Bakura set up two chairs and an umbrella before sitting down and opening his book._

_ "'Kura!" Marik yelled, dashing towards him, "hold the camera, okay?" He tossed the camera in Bakura's lap before running back towards the ocean. Bakura picked up the camera, which Marik had forgotten to turn off, and quickly snapped a picture. 'I never want to forget this moment,' he thought to himself, 'and I never want to forget how happy his joy makes me feel.' He heard a series of splashes and looked up. Marik was waist-deep in the water, laughing and splashing as the waves rolled in and out. "'Kura!" he called, waving, "come out here!" Bakura smiled, stood, and ran out knee-deep into the ocean before ducking under the water. He popped up right next to his lover, grabbing him by the waist and twirling him around in the air before setting him down and kissing his forehead gently._

_ As Marik finished taking a shower, Bakura sat in the hot tub as he watched the sun set slowly over the endless ocean, painting the sky and water with broad strokes of reds, pinks, and purples of every shade. He had never seen anything quite like before in his life. He definitely understood why Marik had wanted to come, and he was so glad that he had been able to come here with him. He truly did love the boy—he gave him joy that he'd never thought he could experience again, and made him love when he was past the point of loving. Marik could make him forget his past and his thirst for revenge, filling his darkened soul with a light that hadn't touched him in thousands of years. Yes, he loved the boy very much._

_ Marik opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony, wearing a purple silk robe and lazily drying his hair with a towel. His amethyst eyes sparkled once again as he admired the beauty of the sunset over the beach. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked softly. Bakura smiled._

_ "Indeed," he replied, but he was no longer admiring the sunset. _

_ Marik looked over at him and smiled. "Thanks for coming, 'Kura," he said as he walked over to the hot tub. He sat on the edge of the tub next to his love, who put a pale arm around his waist as he kicked his tan legs over the side, gently sliding them into the warm, bubbling water._

_ "I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."_

_ Marik lay awake next to his partner, listening to his soft, even breathing. He couldn't stop thinking about all of the things that had happened, and all of the things that he was feeling. He wasn't used to feeling this way about someone: trusting them, wanting them to be happy, loving them… _

_ Bakura was definitely special. Someone Marik couldn't bear to even think about losing. He hoped Bakura felt the same way._

_ Marik rolled over, snuggling close to his lover and breathing deeply as he fell into a peaceful sleep._

"So?" Marik asked, sitting up on the couch.

"Hmm?" Bakura asked, still lost in his happy memory.

"Have you figured it out?"

"Ah, yes, what it is I'm looking at," Bakura said thoughtfully, nodding his head.

"…and?" Marik asked after a short pause.

"Oh, I gave up," Bakura said, smirking. "I was too busy enjoying the memories," he added, leaning over and kissing the boy's forehead.

"Well, I'll be right back, so go ahead and turn the page and try to figure it out while I'm gone," Marik replied, getting off the couch.

"Where are you going?" Bakura asked, raising an eyebrow. Marik didn't respond—he just smiled and walked down the hallway towards the bedroom.

* * *

So, there's that. Hopefully it was worth it, but anyway, I think the next one may be the last one unless I can get some great ideas. If you have any requests or recommendations I'll be happy to write them out for you guys! ^_^ thanks again for reading 3


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